Summer and lemonade just go together. Like sprinklers and children, like your couch and the TV, or flowers and bees… these things were just meant to be together. So since the summer heat is still bearing down, what could be better than fresh squeezed lemonade? Adult fresh squeezed lemonade! Hard lemonade, like the kind “Mike” makes. Only way better because it doesn’t have that weird bottled preservative flavor. Sinfully tart and delicious, fresh and aromatic, and delicious. Homemade Hard Lemonade and patios just go together.

Directions: In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar, and strips of zest to a simmer. Cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove strips of zest and discard. It has done its zestly duties. In a large pitcher, combine the lemon infused simple syrup, vodka, whiskey, lemon juice, and stir. Fill serving glasses with ice and lemon slices, add the lemony goodness, drink, and enjoy summer.

It’s no bull. It’s a BOOL. This is a beer spritzer which is popular in Cuba. It’s refreshing, cool and an easy sipper for the summer! I’m a sucker for anything with lime in it and this is a real treat. Enjoy.

Directions: Combine the first 3 ingredients in a pitcher, we used Beck’s for the beer (*sweeten if you like); serve over ice with lime garnish. Sip your day away! This makes about 4 glasses – so feel free to double or triple the recipe!!

This weekend was simple, busy, and filled with no fuss food and drink. Sometimes that is nice; other times it’s necessary! We picked this up last week at the corner beer store. I have no idea if it is new or just new to us. I love Sapporo (regular), a Japanese beer, and often buy it when I want a light brew. It is crisp and refreshing, easy-drinking beer. Since we have been cutting calories lately this seemed like a natural choice. Of course light is never the real thing. Let’s face it Diet Dr. Pepper tastes nothing like Dr. Pepper and Corona Light well who knows what happened there. This too is its own beverage.

Beer pours a pale golden straw with about a finger of white head. It is very light-bodied, smooth and has a slight tanginess to it with just a touch of sweetness; however, the flavor is not very strong and thus it would essentially go with anything without overpowering the flavor. This is a salad beer. Yes, salad beer – you can drink this with a salad. Hey, it happens. But, I guess overall the best word I can think of to describe it is meek. It doesn’t have an after-taste and has a pleasant carbonation; but regular Sapporo is mucho mucho better!

We will drink this beer, not pour it down the drain – I don’t know what that means really lol. I will probably never buy it again though. So I guess it is drinkable, but not noteworthy. Just a cold, slightly frothy beer that passed an evening on the porch one Saturday. Hope your weekend was grand! EO

Oh baby it’s hot outside… seriously. It’s hot. Dang hot. Which means really we have mostly been drinking water. Hey, I’m keeping it real! lol. But, sometimes on a summer afternoon nothing is better than a glass of chilled Rosé wine or a crisp and refreshing glass of Sangria. So I figured, why not have both?

Cherry Rosé Sangria

1 bottle of Rosé wine1 can lemon-lime soda, diet if you like1/4 cup sugar, more if you like it sweeter1/2 cup Elderflower Liquor1/2 cup Triple-Sec Liquor 1 large orange1 cup strawberries2 cups cherries, pitted and halved(any other fruit you like… peaches, raspberries, etc.)

Directions: Wash all the fruit well; slice orange, strawberries and prepare cherries. Place all the fruits in a large pitcher or bowl with sugar; lightly mull. Add Elderflower and Triple-Sec to fruit and let soak for at least one hour, stirring occasionally, or soak for longer if you desire… it only gets better with time!

Once fruit is ready, add bottle of Rosé wine and lemon-lime soda (ginger ale would also be nice!) to the mix and stir. Chill for another 1 to 3 hours (we kept some overnight – twice as nice the second day!! Mix well before serving. I like to run the sangria through a filter and put the remaining fruit in a separate dish – so people can dish their drink up to their own desire; with or without ice. Plus it makes the sangria crystal clear. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired. Die of cold Rosé refreshment. The End. EO

When I think of certain people they remind me of certain drinks. Maybe it is their personality. Or because of a fond memory shared with them. Possibly it is their favorite libation or the only one they are willing to consume. Sometimes it is because they wrote the recipe or it is a family tradition. This is Amy’s drink – Bourbon Slushes. I think of her anytime I hear about or drink this cocktail and vice versa. Don’t under-estimate this drink, a picture could never do it justice!!

Directions: In a very large bowl combine: bourbon (we used Evan Williams), sugar and tea granules. Mix well until most of the sugar and tea has dissolved (you don’t want clumps of instant tea or sugar – bleck!); Stir in concentrates and water and pour into containers to freeze. I used a large bowl with a lid, but if you want slushes faster you could use ice-cube trays or smaller Tupperware. Freeze (takes about 6-8 hours). Remove desired amount from freezer and stir with a fork to create slush; fill glasses 2/3 to 3/4 full and then top with lemon-lime soda. Drink up 😀

These are sweet, sour, tangy and very cool. Perfect for the summer, a BBQ or any type of party because it makes quite a bit. P.S. I think the cheap sour mash bourbon really gives it a key part of the flavor. Amy says they almost always use cheap because you are freezing it. All I know is I love bourbon slushes – they remind me of my dear friend.

It’s that time again. This week it was gladly received. I have been drinking mostly beer and these delightful and stout margaritas were a delightful reprieve. Really this should have been a Cinco de Mayo post, but Thursday I was drinking Shiner and grilling hot dogs. That’s how we roll. Today: Drinking… packing… some more drinking… some more drinking whilst avoiding packing. Lol. Some exaggerating. There has mostly been errand running, packing and miscellaneous shopping, but these were in the mix somewhere.

Directions: Sprinkle sugar or salt… or mix onto plate; using water or citrus slice, rub the rim of glasses and then press into sugar/salt to rim glass. Combine remaining ingredients in blender, cover and process. Pour slushy blue goodness into prepared glasses. Enjoy.

Simple. Sweet. Oh so slightly tart. Tequila kick. Margaritas. Though I have to say not too fond of the name. Blue Lagoon… can’t help but think of creatures instead of pools of blue water. They are a lovely blue and that thought quickly faded with each sip. Also I like saying Curacao. It reminds me of something Beavis & Butthead would say, over and over. I laugh and drink more, people stare and life is normal. Here is hoping your weekend is normal and Happy Mother’s Day to all (those with four legged children too! 😉 )! EO

Mexican beer is a staple in our house. It’s our Coors… or Bud… guess we ain’t into domestic beers. Except, good ol’ Shiner. But, on most given days you will find Corona (that’s currently cooling in the fridge now), XX, Modelo, or Pacifico. I like them all with lime and they are all very refreshing and easy drinking beers. There is not a lot to say about these beers… perfect for summer, great gold color?… ugh tastes real good and perfect for cooking – there!

This week I decided to try out a recipe I clipped out of a Food & Wine magazine years ago using Mexican beer as a jerky marinade. (Original recipe here – I denoted my changes in green) So tonight we are drinking Corona and eating jerky… that was marinated in Corona – double boozer?

Directions

In a mini food processor, puree the jalapeños (can seed one or both if you don’t like the heat!) and cilantro along with 1/4 cup of the lime juice. Transfer the puree to a large bowl. Stir in the beer, soy sauce, Worcestershire, crushed garlic cloves, crushed peppercorns and the remaining 3/4 cup of lime juice.

Take the beef and cut it into 1/4-inch-thick slices, either with or against the grain.

Add the beef to the marinade, a few slices at a time, stirring well to coat each slice with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200°. Set a large wire rack on each of 3 large rimmed baking sheets. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the beef on the racks, leaving 1/4 inch between slices. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for about 4 hours, until the jerky is firm and almost completely dry, but still chewy. Let cool completely on the racks before serving.

The dried-beef jerky can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. (or so they say – mine is only two days old…) It is great, packed full of flavor. You don’t necessarily taste Corona, but you do get the lime, cilantro, soy and a small warmth from the peppers at the end. It all in all beats store-bought jerky and is such an easy and adaptable recipe! I look forward to trying new and future flavor combos. Oh and it has a great texture – dry, chewy – but not jaw breaking. I guess it has a good snap, but won’t make you regret breaking off a piece!

Mojitos are one of my favorite cocktails. They are so bright and refreshing, especially on a hot spring day. The addition of fruit adds a wonderful taste of spring and the summer to come. Hope you enjoy.

Strawberry Mojitos

1-2 Tbsps of simple syrup

about 2 fresh strawberries

about 3-4 fresh spearmint sprigs (12-15+ leaves)

soda water

1/2 lime, sliced

1.5 ounces of light rum

Directions: In a cocktail glass, squeeze the juice from the lime into the glass, add a few wedges (if desired), then muddle the simple syrup, strawberries,and mint leaves together with a muddler or blunt object. Crush the strawberries and mint leaves well. *you can strain at this point if you don’t like the mint & strawberry bits in your drink. add the rum and stir well. Fill glass with ice and top off with soda water.

This could be done with any variety of fruits (mangoes, raspberries, etc.). The strawberries add their own flavor profile and sweetness to the drink so I use less simple syrup than I would for a regular mojito. Cheers! 🙂

This is inspired by a weird, delightful and peculiar liqueur: St. Germain which is made from elderflower. If you have never had it I suggest you try it. I bought a bottle, which is gorgeous by the way, and well a little goes a long way so we are still mixing it up!! As for the vodka we are using a gifted bottle: Zodiac Vodka (Gemini) it’s made from potatoes. Yes alcohol made from flowers and potatoes on a warm spring afternoon – that’s how we roll. More formally this is just a twist on the vodka soda.

St. Vodka Soda

Fill glass with ice, add alcohol, squeeze of lemon, top with soda water, stir and garnish with twist of lemon. Enjoy! picture shown above is a double…

Simple. Refreshing. It’s like elderflower flavored water… with bubbles. Only a whisper of sweetness, the vodka is flavorless – as it should be or so I am told and I can’t wait to try it with lime! Hope your staying cool on this hot Texas afternoon!

I realized when I chose this that it will be the second Ginger Ale based cocktail in a short time. But, it is H-O-T hot down here in Central Texas and this is a very cooling and refreshing drink. In fact, we were first introduced to this upon moving to the Hill Country and it quickly became one of my husband’s favorites. He loves Jim Beam – me not the most avid fan, but there is something about the sweet sparkle of the ginger ale cut by that Kentucky Bourbon twang that quite simply works.

You can of course make this libation, the recipe is on the Jim Beam website. Alas to me it is just not the same as the stuff from the can. Which by the way is good straight from the can, but on a hot spring day such as this a little ice never hurt anything. Hope the rest of your weekend is cool and refreshing ♥